INEOS workers vote to strike at Grangemouth refinery in Scotland

More than 81% of workers at INEOS' Grangemouth refinery in Scotland have voted to strike, according to a Friday news release from local trade union group Unite. The Grangemouth refinery can process 210,000 bpd of crude, with roughly 30% of its output as distillates, according to Bloomberg.

Keywords:

More than 81% of workers at INEOS' Grangemouth refinery in Scotland have voted to
strike, according to a Friday news release from local trade union
group Unite.

The Grangemouth refinery can process 210,000
bpd of crude, with roughly 30% of its output as distillates,
according to Bloomberg.

"This overwhelming result reflects the genuine ill-feeling held
by the Grangemouth workforce, because of the grossly unfair
treatment of Stephen Deans, who has 24 years of loyal service
at the site," said Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish regional
secretary.

"Despite the ongoing threats of plant closures at the
Grangemouth site, the workforce are determined to support their
colleague and to bring this injustice to an end," he added.
"This tight-knit community has no tolerance for the unfair
treatment of a trade unionist because they know that an attack
against one is an attack against all."

Deans, who has worked at Grangemouth 24 years, also serves as
the chairman of the Falkirk Constituency Labour Party
(CLP).

He was briefly suspended by the Labour Party in July
2013 following an investigation into claims of
vote-rigging in Falkirk in the selection process to find a
replacement for outgoing Labour MP Eric Joyce.

Deans was subsequently cleared by the party,
though, and reinstated as the local party chairman. A
police investigation into the issue was also dropped.

Since then, however, INEOS has begun investigating whether his
activities were in line with his role as an employee and a
convener. INEOS has said that probe will conclude on
October 18, with a decision published October 25.

Friday's vote has a turnout of 86%, according to Unite
officials. Within that percentage, 90.6% of workers voted
for industrial action short of a strike, with 9.4% against.
Meanwhile, 81.4% voted for strike action and 18.6% voted
against.

INEOS had yet to issue public comment on the strike as of
Friday afternoon.

Have your say

All comments are subject to editorial review.
All fields are compulsory.